High Road
by obeytherandomness
Summary: This story is based after the song High Road by Green Days. Naruto is finally able to save Sasuke from Orochimaru and now Sasuke promises to live for Naruto, but he might encounter some difficulties with his decision. This is SasuNaru.
1. Author's Note

This is the same Author's Note that is on every one of my other songfics, so, if you've already read it, there is no need to read it again.

This is a songfic, but it can be read like a normal story. If you have any songs that you would like to request that I do please feel free to tell me. I can't promise that I will do that song, but I will at least look at doing it.

This note is just to explain how the story works so you don't have to read it if you don't want to.

I have actually gotten in trouble for posting a songfic before and I don't want to get in trouble again so I decided to do songfics a different way. Every chapter is based on a line of the song so the length of the story depends on the length of the song. I will try to name the chapter in a way that lets you know what line I'm on, but I won't put the exact words up.

Because the chapters are based on one line, they will fluctuate in length. They can be short at some points but I promise not to make them too short.

Thank you for reading. I hope you like this story. Please Read and Review.


	2. I was hurt

"Sasuke!" He's calling me again. He always seems to be calling for me these days and I can only seem to ignore him when he does. I can't help it. I don't want him to be hurt. I don't want him to be dragged into the darkness that I now reside in. But he keeps following me anyway.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" I growl at him.

"I want you to come home with me." His eyes are pleading with me to just give up and follow him to this place that he claims to be home. It's not my home. It never was my home. Or maybe it was some time ago, but it's not my home anymore. It's nothing more than a village that contains many of my childhood memories. Those painful things that I have been ignoring ever since I left the confinement of society in Konoha.

"I've already told you Naruto," I shook my head. "I'm not going back there. I need to get power and I can't do that from Konoha." Why can't he understand that I don't want to go back? Why can't he just leave me alone and allow me to defeat my brother with the power that I gain from working under Orochimaru.

"I don't care," Naruto stepped forward. I think he's trying to gain my trust again. He won't be able to. I could never stop trusting him so he can't regain my trust. I just have to ignore his every word so that I can convince myself that what I'm doing with Orochimaru won't lead to my death. I don't really care. I never have. Orochimaru can do whatever the hell he wants with my body once I kill my brother. At least that's what I thought, but it always seems to be that every time Naruto comes to visit me my resolve wavers just a little bit more. I'm starting to not want to die. "I don't care if you want to become strong to defeat your brother. I don't care if you don't want to live in the village anymore. Just please don't stay with Orochimaru."

"He's the strongest ninja alive," I said. It was more to convince myself rather than Naruto. I need to convince myself or I might actually go with him this time.

"No he's not Sasuke," Naruto shakes his head sadly. "He's just a ninja that has stayed under everyone's radar for most of his life. Now that he's stepped forward, I don't think that he's going to remain the strongest ninja for very long. People will beat him. I bet that you could even beat him if you wanted to. I mean he doesn't even have arms."

"He's teaching me how to defeat my brother," I said.

"He's only teaching you random jutsus that will barely be any help against Itachi. The guy has the Mangekyou Sharingan for god's sake."

"What do you want me to do than?" I growled. "Go back to Konoha and hope that they teach me something worth my time. In case you didn't remember, I am a traitor to the village. They'll probably lock me up if they don't kill me first."

"They won't do that," Naruto tried to assure me. "The village loves you too much to lock you away for leaving them. They would want you back out on the streets immediately after you returned if you came home of your own free will." Then he muttered something that sounded a lot like, "Besides. I would never let them do that to you."

"Is that why you have been losing all of our battles," I clenched my fists. Lately I had thought that Naruto seemed to be holding back whenever we fought. I never really paid any attention to it because I thought that I was just imagining it so that I would feel better about always beating him. I guess I was just deceiving myself.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Naruto tried to say.

"Don't give me that," I yelled at him. "How strong have you really become?"

"I am the strongest ninja in all of Konoha," Naruto said. I always thought that those words coming from Naruto's mouth would be so much prouder than the words that I heard just now. Naruto seemed overly nervous to even divulge that much information to me.

"And you have been holding back this whole time," I growled.

"I didn't want to be the one to drag you back," Naruto said sadly.

"After all of this time that you claim to have trying to get me to return to Konoha and you haven't even actually tried." It was insulting to me that Naruto thought that he could get me to return without even fighting full force. How could he even assume that I would follow him of my own free will? He really is an idiot.

"If I brought you back to the village than you really would be locked up," Naruto said, "or killed. But if you came back on your own than you would have a chance of staying alive."

"I don't want to stay alive Naruto," I said. "I want to kill my brother, and you aren't helping me do that by bothering my practice every time you're nearby."

"I'm sorry Sasuke," Naruto said, "but I don't want Orochimaru to take your body because than you really wouldn't be able to kill your brother like you want to."

"Fight me," I growled. I needed to know how much power he really had. I needed to know if I had gotten any stronger. I needed to know if I could beat my brother.

"I'm sorry Sasuke," Naruto shook his head.

"Why not?" I yelled.

"I can't fight you anymore Sasuke," Naruto sighed.

"Why not?"

"Because Lady Tsunade said that the next time I see you I am ordered to either drag you back or kill you," Naruto explained.

"Isn't that what you want?" I asked. Isn't that what he's always wanted? Hasn't he always wanted to drag me back?

"I…" Naruto began, but he was interrupted by a female voice that I recognized to be Sakura's calling out his name. "I have to go now Sasuke," Naruto sighed. "I'll be back soon and next time I'll bring you home with me."

"I'm not going back to Konoha Naruto," I said again. "I will never go back." But he had already disappeared into the tree to find his teammates. The ones that I was no longer a part of. I don't even remember who took my place, but he seemed to be a good enough replacement for everyone. Naruto seemed to be the only one that still wants me to return. I admit that that thought hurts me somewhat. I wouldn't even be welcomed back into my own team if I tried to go back. Not that that really mattered in my true goal. My true goal required that I be alone. That is why I am alone, but why do I keep longing to join Naruto and Sakura to go on stupid missions once again?


	3. bleeding inside

I can't believe that Naruto would just abandon me like that. After spending all of that time trying to get me to go to Konoha with him, he's just decided that he's going to stop trying. That's fine though. I don't need him. I only need to learn to become stronger and to do that I have to stay with Orochimaru. I'm glad that Naruto has decided to finally stop bothering me about going back home because now I can focus on training.

Isn't that what I'm supposed to be doing right now? Didn't Orochimaru send me out here to train with some new jutsu that he supposedly taught me yesterday? I don't remember anything that happened yesterday. The only thing that I remember is that Naruto came to visit me and then left without trying to get me to go back. After that everything was a blur of motion in which I don't remember anything.

"Sasuke!" This time it's not Naruto calling out to me. It's Kabuto. What does he want? I don't know. Whatever it is it must be important because he's not supposed to ever interrupt my training.

I feel a sharp pain in my chest and a sudden realization comes to me. I was training to block medical jutsu that could possibly lead me paralyzed or, worse, dead. I couldn't do that without Kabuto's help, but I zoned out and he got a hit that's much more deadly that I'm sure he meant it to be. Now I'm bleeding into my lungs. That's not good. I don't know how to heal that. Oh well. Kabuto seems to be doing the job just fine.

"You weren't paying attention," Kabuto scolds me. Not that I really care. I only ever listen to Orochimaru. Kabuto is just an underling that is useful to me every now and again. "I could have killed you."

"Are you done yet?" I ask impatiently. I don't like it when people touch me and Kabuto is running his hands up and down my chest so that he can heal whatever damage that he caused just by using one blow. It felt gross and I wanted to throw him to the other side of the room, but I knew that if I did that then I would definitely die from blood loss.

"Give me a minute," Kabuto sighed. "You are bleeding from the inside out. Those wounds are the hardest to heal."

"Than perhaps next time you shouldn't use that strong of a jutsu on me."

"You're the one who told me not to hold back," Kabuto answered.

I forgot about that. I was really mad that Naruto had been holding back on me for so long that I ordered Kabuto not to do the same. It wouldn't have mattered if I had paid more attention during the battle. Kabuto is nowhere near my level, but I was distracted so he was actually able to beat me.

"Whatever," I muttered. "Just hurry up and leave me alone."

"I'm almost done," Kabuto muttered.

"Good," I growled. He finally removed his hands from my chest and left me to my thoughts.

When he was gone I sat on the ground and thought about Naruto. I was done fighting it. I needed to just think about him and all that he had said to me over the years. Mainly what he said to me earlier today. I had been so angry that I hadn't actually taken what he said into account. This whole time he was protecting me by not forcing me to go home. He was trying to convince me so that I wouldn't be punished as severely. If I came back of my own free will, he had said, I would be more likely to be trusted.


	4. I lost

"What do you want?" I growled as Kabuto entered my room again. Didn't I just say that I wanted him to leave?

"I'm only here to summon you," Kabuto said with a kind smile. I hate that smile. It always means that something bad is about to happen. The last time I saw that smile was when the Akatsuki captured Naruto for a brief time. He somehow escaped, though, and that wiped the stupid kind smile right off of Kabuto's face. It even managed to put a little fear in Kabuto's eyes. Sasuke couldn't help but being proud of Naruto for being able to do that. "Orochimaru wants to see you."

"What does he want?" I growled. Usually Orochimaru only summoned me when he wanted me to go run an errand or when he decided to randomly teach me some new jutsu that I absolutely had to know, but this time something was different.

"I don't know," Kabuto lied. He always knew what Orochimaru wanted. Even when he was deep in the enemy line, he always knew exactly what Orochimaru wanted. That's why I think that something is different this time. Kabuto has never smirked like that when he summons me. He usually just tells me to go see Orochimaru nonchalantly. He's never done something like this before. "Should I tell him that you refuse to see him?"

"No," I shook my head. "Tell him I'll be there soon."

"Whatever you say," Kabuto smiled before leaving the room and me to myself.

For a brief moment, I consider not going to see Orochimaru, but then what would I do. If I stopped going to Orochimaru, it would be like saying that I didn't want to work for him anymore. I can't afford that. Not when I'm so close to being able to defeat Itachi. I have to go see him.

As I walk through the hall to the throne room where I knew Orochimaru sat, thoughts of Naruto entered my head again. Damnit. Why do I keep thinking about him? Why has he been so present in my mind ever since I left Konoha? Wait, I think it's actually been longer than that since I started to always think about Naruto. Why is that? I don't know, but right now I can't worry about that. I need to focus on Orochimaru because I know that whatever he has in store for me cannot be good. I can't be sidetracked with thoughts of Naruto.

The doors that I don't even remember approaching, open before me and I watch as Orochimaru's smirking form comes into my view. Damn that bastard, sitting on his high throne like he was above everything. I really hate the way he always looks at me when he's up there. He acts like I'm just another one of his underlings, willing to fulfill every single one of his desires. Yea right. As soon as I'm strong enough to defeat my brother, I'm out of here. I'll never have to deal with Orochimaru again. Than Naruto might actually stop bothering me. Is that a good thing? Of course it's a good thing. Why wouldn't it be?

"Hello Sasuke," Orochimaru smirks from his high chair. I don't look at him. I refuse to look up at him. So instead I take out a kunai to examine nonchalantly. Let's see how that affects his high and mighty attitude. "I'm glad you could make it," he says.

"Yea," I mutter. I know he can hear me. This hall is so big that the echoes make even the smallest of sounds able to be heard. "Whatever."

Orochimaru stands from his seat with a smirk on his face. That's strange. Usually, he would have at least scowled when I showed him such disrespect. This can't be good.

Orochimaru slowly moves so that he is standing just before me and I finally allow myself to look at him. Now that he isn't up in his pedestal, I can look at him as an equal instead of being forced to look up at him. He reaches out and puts his hand on my face. I have to fight myself so that I wouldn't smack his hand away from me. That wouldn't be good at all.

Suddenly, my whole body feels numb. I can't move. Damn it, I hadn't been paying attention to Kabuto. He snuck up behind me and paralyzed. Damn it. Damn it! I can't move.

Orochimaru smirks once again and his disgustingly cold hand slips from my cheek to slide down to my neck. "Aren't you honored Sasuke," Orochimaru says as he strokes my neck calmly. It feels disgusting, but I can't do anything to stop him. "Today is the day that you finally get to be my new body."

Damn it. Naruto was right. I should have never doubted him. I should have gone home with him just like he wanted. Damn it. I'm sorry Naruto. I am lost. Please stop coming after me because I will no longer be able to come home.

Orochimaru leans forward and I can feel only searing pain as his teeth sink into my neck.


	5. middle of my life

That's strange. I didn't think it would feel so warm when Orochimaru took over my body, but right now I can feel such burning warmth spreading through my body starting with my feet. I can't feel Orochimaru. I can't feel the cold, dank room that I'm in. I can only feel this strange warmth as it crawls over my hands and around my shoulders up to my neck.

Orochimaru screams and I open my eyes, I don't even remember closing them, to see him pulling away from me with a burn on his face. It's not a normal burn. It had to have been caused by chakra, but who has chakra that can burn the skin?

I look down at my own hands to find that the heat wasn't from Orochimaru, but instead it was from a red chakra. I know this chakra. I've only seen it one other place, but I know this chakra. Naruto. Naruto is here. His chakra is wrapped completely around me now and it's so warm.

Orochimaru screams again and I look at him to find that another wisp of the red chakra keeps attempting to wrap around him. He keeps moving away from it, but everywhere it touches him it gives him that strange burn. Why isn't it burning me in the same way? I look back down at my hand to find that in between the burning chakra and my skin there is a thin layer of a blue chakra. It's just enough to protect me from being burned while not being taxing on the owner of such chakra.

I feel myself being lifted off of the ground and pulled farther and farther away from the two men that I thought were going to help me kill my brother. I don't know where I'm being pulled to because I can't see behind me and I can't turn around while I'm being carried by the chakra. The only thing that I know is that I'm going farther and farther away from Orochimaru and closer and closer to keeping my body to myself. I wasn't going to be forced to lose my body in the middle of my life.

It wasn't until I felt the cold wash over my back when I realized that the burning red chakra was leaving. I was only just barely given enough time to realize that I was going to have to catch my fall on my own before I was dropped into another chakra barrier. This one was made of the same chakra that had protected my skin from burning. I knew it was Naruto's, but I almost couldn't believe that Naruto would have come and saved me after all of the things that I have done to the man.

* * *

This is the last of the prewritten chapters. I hope you like this story and I will try to update the rest of it soon.


	6. stay alive for you

"Hey," Sakura asked from my side. "Are you okay?"

"What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"What do you think we're doing here?" Sakura gave me a look. "We came to save your sorry butt."

"But why?" I asked.

"Because Naruto wasn't going to let you die before he brought you back to Konoha," Sakura answered.

"Where is Naruto?" I asked. I hadn't noticed until just now that he wasn't in the protective barrier with Sakura, Sai, Kakashi, and I.

"Look up," Kakashi answered. And I did just that.

Naruto was practically standing on top of the dome that the chakra created around them with his arms outstretched and the red chakra surrounding and emanating from his skin. His head was thrown back, his eyes were closed tight, and his mouth was open in a silent scream. Without any of the blue chakra surrounding his own body, the red chakra was burning his skin only for it to heal and be burned again.

"He looks like he's in pain," I frowned. It was the only thing that I could think about while I looked up at him.

"He is," Sai answered.

"Using that chakra always hurts him," Sakura continues with a frown.

"Then why is he using it?" Why was he hurting himself just to save me? Why couldn't he just be mad at me and hate me for all that I've done to him? Why couldn't I realize until now that he was willing to do this? Would I have gone back with him if I had known back then? "Why aren't you guys helping him?"

"You don't think I want to," Sakura hissed angrily. "We can't get out of this chakra barrier. Naruto created it for the sole purpose of people not being able to get in or out of it."

"How did I get in it?" I asked.

"Naruto can choose to let people in and out if he wants to. He let you in, but he won't let you back out," Sakura answered.

"I don't understand why he's doing this," I muttered. I've done so much to harm him and he's still trying to save me. He's still throwing himself away just so that I can live. He's such an idiot. Why can't he just leave me alone so he won't get hurt? Why can't I stop hurting him? Can I stop hurting him? Have I ever tried to stop hurting him? I don't think that I have.

I look away from him, because I can't watch him suffer anymore, and back at the two men who had taken me away from Naruto. They were now encompassed in Naruto's red chakra while more chakra whipped around the building attacking anyone who came into the room and destroying the structure of the room.

"I have to stop this," I finally decided once I had seen enough of Naruto's suffering. "I can't let him keep doing this."

"Don't you dare try to leave the safety of this barrier," Sakura hissed as she placed a firm hand on my shoulder to hold me back. She wasn't being gentle with me, but I didn't really care. I don't deserve gentleness after everything that I had done.

"I can't let him suffer for me," I growled back. I can't stand to see him in pain for my sake.

"He's doing it for you," she said thickly. "He's done all of this for you and your just going to throw it all away. He wants you to live."

"I can't watch this anymore," I admitted after a long moment. "I don't want him to do this for no reason."

"Then stay here and stay alive," Sakura allowed her voice to soften. "Don't let Naruto's efforts go to waste."

"I think that it already has," I sighed. "I don't deserve any of the things that he's done for me."

"Oh don't you dare go on a self-deprecating party now," she threw her hands up in exasperation. "I already have to deal with enough of those with Naruto."

"What do you mean?" I demanded. I didn't know that he was self-deprecating. He had just told me that he was the strongest in the village. Although, he didn't really seem like he believe it when he told me. Damn it. How did I miss that?

"He needs you Sasuke," Sakura said in loo of a response. "He needs you so you need to stay alive for him."

"I don't know if I can do it," I sighed again. "I don't know if I can make up for all the things that I have done to him, but I'll try."

"Good," Sakura agreed. "That's all I'm asking."

"It's done," Sai interrupted us.

As if broken by his words, the barrier around us crumbled and Naruto fell from his perch high above us. I was the only one to notice, however, that Naruto was falling unconsciously. He wasn't going to be able to catch his fall and it would either kill him or seriously injure him. I couldn't let that happen no matter what. I leapt into action immediately. I jumped up from my crouch and caught Naruto midair before landing us both carefully on the ground.

Naruto stirred at the feeling of my arms around him and he opened his eyes to find me looking down at him. "Will you come home with me Sasuke?" he asked with as much strength as he could muster before falling back into his recovery sleep.

"Of course I will," I said immediately even though I knew that Naruto wouldn't be able to hear me. He deserved an answer whether he heard it or not.

I'm going to make up for all the things I have done to hurt Naruto. I'm going to live for Naruto for as long as I can.


	7. I'd die for you

It took a full day for Naruto to wake up again and even then he was barely able to move. It was already going to be a long journey without having to carry Naruto with them, but I don't really mind. I'd rather Naruto be weak then completely dead. So every night we set Naruto down on the ground and build a fire next to him while he talked us just like it was another day out on a mission. He was all smiles and it looked like nothing had changed, but I could tell by the others reactions that something has.

"He hasn't smiled this much in a really long time," Sakura said to me when I finally got to talk to her alone. She's been avoiding me, which I'm happy about because it means that I won't have to deal with her fan girl tendencies, but then I also consider her an old friend who doesn't want to talk to me. I deserve it of course, but I wonder if I'll ever be able to gain back her trust in me. Or if I'll even have the time to.

"What are you talking about?" I ask even though I'm pretty sure that I know exactly what she's talking about.

"Naruto," she clarifies. "He's smiled a lot while you were gone, but it's always been those sad smiles. You know the ones." Sasuke did know the ones. He had been on the receiving end of them because of his taunts enough to know that, but he had only just figured it out and started correcting himself for it right before he left so even he could barely tell the difference between Naruto's real smile and the sad one. Of course Sakura would know since she's spent a lot more time with Naruto. "This is the first time that I've seen him so happy in a really long time. You'd better not ruin that."

"I don't plan to," I answer, but I know that it's not exactly in my hands. I still have to face judgment. If my punishment for betraying the village is severe enough, I may never be able to see Naruto again.

"You know that they're probably going to give you the death sentence," Kakashi said a couple of days later when we stopped to take one last break before we entered the village, "despite what Naruto has probably been telling you."

"I know," I answer easily.

"And you're okay with this?" Kakashi raised a brow. It's been a while since I've seen Kakashi's facial expressions, but he gave me that one enough that I can recognize it for what it is. He doesn't believe me. He thinks that I'm just doing something stupid to prove myself again. I guess I am, but this time it's for different reasons. Before it was because I wanted to prove myself to my dead family and to the brother who killed them. Now, I think, that I just want to prove myself to Naruto. Because that's what he deserves after dealing with me for such a long time and chasing me even after I continued to hurt him.

"I'll die for him," I answer truthfully. If that is the choice that the council comes up with when I return, then I will gladly take it. I don't want to hurt Naruto anymore by running off before we get back. I promised him that I would return with him and I'm going to keep that promise even if I am returning to my death.

"Are you sure?" Kakashi asked. "You won't be able to get revenge on your family if you die." Ah. This is some sort of test. Kakashi is testing me. I don't know why, but he is. I'm going to pass this time, though. I won't let that blind anger that had controlled me for so long get in my way.

"I'll die for him," I repeat. I'll repeat it as many times as he or Naruto or anyone else wants me to. I'll shout it out to the world if I absolutely have to. I'll die for Naruto because Naruto would have died for me. He almost died for me so I will die for him in exchange. I've decided to pledge my life to him. He deserves at least this much devotion and I'm actually willing to give it to him now. Even if I don't die now, I will continue to give him my whole life until there is nothing left and then I will die then. Either way I will die for him in the end, but hopefully I'll be able to live for him too.


	8. it didn't matter

"We have been instructed to bring Sasuke Uchiha to the Hokage," two ANBU appear in front of us as soon as we enter the village.

"I'll take him," Naruto responds. That last rest that we had seems to have been just enough for Naruto to regain his strength and he was able to stand, place his ANBU mask back on along with the rest of the team, and walk all the way back to Konoha without any assistance. Although, I did keep close to him just in case he stumbled.

"We were instructed to be the ones to escort Sasuke Uchiha," the ANBU says.

"Then you can escort him and I together," Naruto replies.

The two ANBU look at each other before one of them disappears and the other speaks again. "Very well fox-sama," he says.

It's weird hearing someone treat Naruto with respect. He totally deserves it, but I just remember when it didn't seem like anyone would even treat him like a human being.

* * *

The ANBU took the two of us to the hokage's office while the other three members of the team went home. However, we are stopped outside by the other ANBU that met us at the gates.

"I apologize fox-sama," he says respectfully towards Naruto. "We have been ordered not to allow you to accompany Sasuke Uchiha into the office."

"Very well," Naruto nods before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

I'm not sure if I should be happy or upset that Naruto isn't going to be with me during my judgment. I would have liked to have Naruto there at the end, but I also don't want him to be there if I'm given the death penalty. I don't know how he'll react to it since he was the one that was trying so hard to bring me home in the first place.

"God damn it Naruto," I hear Tsunade's voice from inside the room as the two ANBU ushered me inside. "I told you to stop doing that."

"I don't know what you're talking about baa-chan," Naruto shrugs with a wide grin on his face as he leans against the wall beside the Hokage's desk. He is no longer wearing his fox mask, but it is hung around his waist so that the others can see who he is to them. He is the captain of the ANBU and they had best remember that despite the fact that he chose not to wear his mask in the presence of a traitor. There are 4 ANBU, not including Naruto, the hokage, and the council members in the room besides him and me. All of them are waiting to judge me.

"You can't be in here," Tsunade sighs. "We have to judge Sasuke as a traitor without you being here."

"I know you do," Naruto replies, "but you'll have to have me here while you do because I'm not leaving him here."

"Naruto," I mumble. I'm happy that he's here, but I still think it might have been better if he weren't. I don't want to see him upset if he stays. "You don't have to be here."

"I brought you home," Naruto points out. "I'm not leaving you now."

"Very well," Tsunade sighs. She knows very well that there is no way that her ANBU would be able to make Naruto leave when he really wants to stay. He is the captain of the ANBU and he is even stronger than even the sannin and the hokage. She'd rather not make a bigger commotion out of this than is absolutely necessary.

Naruto's grin widens and Sasuke can't help the small smirk that hits his face when he realizes that this is the same as before he left. Even before Naruto was well respected among all of the ninjas of Konoha, he still got his way more often than not because he had a way of exasperating people until they finally gave in just to get him to leave them be.

* * *

It took hours of uncomfortable standing around for the council members to finally come to a decision. Naruto said nothing during the whole of the muttered conversation, but I saw him scowl at some of the things that the others said. I couldn't hear anything that they said, which was a little unsettling, but Naruto had really good hearing so he probably heard every word that was uttered whether it was meant for his ears or not. I often saw Tsunade look up at him only to cringe and look away again. She knew about his hearing too and her looks made my sentence seem worse and worse.

It looks like I'm probably going to get the death sentence. They have considered all of the facts and have decided that I should be given the same treatment that any other traitor would get at this point. I don't blame them. I deserve it. I just wish that Naruto wasn't here to hear their decision.

"Sasuke Uchiha," the council says in a tone that speaks of the severity of my crime.

"No," Naruto interrupts before the decision could be dealt.

"Naruto," Tsunade sighs. "This is the decision of the council. You have no say in the matter."

"Put him in my custody," Naruto continues despite her words.

"We can't do that Naruto," Tsunade tries to reason with him. "He's a traitor. He must be dealt the same punishment as all the others have been given."

"He came back on his own," Naruto pointed out. "He chose to come back to Konoha. That should change his sentence at least a little. Put him in my custody. I am the captain of the ANBU I can watch over him."

"That's right Naruto," Tsunade agrees. "You are the captain of the ANBU. You have missions that you have to go on."

"Sasuke can come with me," Naruto responds. "He's strong enough."

"We can't just allow a traitor to come and go out of the village as he chooses," the council says.

"Not as he chooses," Naruto growls. It's clear that he doesn't like the council and I can't really blame him for that. I don't think the council really likes him either. "He'll be with me at all times. If I have to, I will physically restrain him."

"You don't need that type of distraction during your missions," Tsunade sighs.

"You know what will happen if you don't do this. Don't you baa-chan?" Naruto warns them.

Tsunade's eyes widen and I have to wonder what they are talking about. It doesn't seem like the council knows either because they look just as confused as I feel. "Very well," she sighs. "We will put Sasuke in your custody."

"Thank you!" Naruto's face lit up in a large grin.

It seems that my promise to die for Naruto doesn't matter at all in this moment. Of course, I don't think he'd let me die so easily. He's worked so hard just to get me back. I still promise, though, that if the time comes I will die to protect him.


End file.
